Blossman Propane Gas & Appl

"Response to the member's Angie’s List post: We appreciate hearing from our customers and are very concerned about the issues the member has raised. After extensive investigation we have found that we did not promptly (within 30 minutes) communicate with the member about our decision to not fill her propane tank due to safety concerns. In this regard, we did not meet our company standard. A brief history outlining the facts is necessary to fully understand the issues raised. Last January, our Blossman representative recognized the need to make corrections to the installation of the cylinders at the member's home. The cylinders were too close to the air conditioning unit and were soon to be out of date and therefore ineligible to be filled. We offered to set a 420# cylinder at no charge with just a nominal Tank Rental fee each year. At that time, the member agreed to our solution, however during the course of the next eleven months, another gas company filled her cylinders and we did not get authorization to proceed. The member called last week and requested gas service but following our commitment to safety, we felt the issues with her installation should be addressed first. The following code section from NFPA58 LP Gas Code Handbook outlines required code distances. 6.3.7 Cylinders installed alongside of buildings shall be positioned so that the discharge from the cylinder pressure relief device is located as follows: (1) At least 3 ft. (1m) horizontally away from any building opening that is below the level of such discharge (2) At least 5 ft. (1.5m) in any direction away from any exterior source of ignition, openings into direct vent (sealed combustion system) appliances, mechanical ventilation air intakes. C.3.2.3 All cylinders, including those apparently undamaged, are required to be periodically requalified for continued service. The first requalification for a new cylinder is required within 12 years after the date of manufacture. Subsequent requalifications are required within the periods specified under the requalification method used. C.3.2.4.3 External Visual Inspection Method. The recorded external visual inspection method can be used to requalify cylinders for 5 years before the next qualification is due, provided the cylinder has been used exclusively for LP-Gas commercially free of corroding components. Blossman Gas celebrated its 60th anniversary this past November and holds safety as the umbrella over our Company Values. We know that the most important part of our commitment to safety is the impact it has on people; our customers and employees. We have worked hard to develop a good reputation and take safety seriously. We abide by Industry safety practices that others may or may not follow. We do this because we care about our customers and employees. It is never our purpose to inconvenience anyone. We acknowledge our fault in improperly communicating in this situation. Nevertheless, we stand by our commitment to customers to serve them in a reliable and safe manner."